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             A good example of the early television sitcoms of the fifties, which portrayed stereotypical families, is Father Knows Best. The name says it all. It was a typical patriarchal family. It was composed of a handsome, middle-class father who was the only source of income and brains (i.e., solved all of the problems) for the family; a pretty, young woman who was a loving mother and homemaker; and adorable young kids who never undermined their parents’ authority. Minorities were rarely seen on television. The majority of those who were seen were typecast in roles as low-class, unintelligent subordinates, such as domestic help, and were usually the butt of many of the jokes. A great example of this would be the show Amos and Andy, which did nothing but portray the Black population as uneducated, ignorant fools. .

             A groundbreaking show of the time for both minorities and women was I Love Lucy. Lucy was white and Irish and Ricky was Cuban. A biracial marriage was completely unheard of at the time. Lucy was smart, mischievous, and conniving, always trying to infiltrate herself in her husband’s affairs. Women of the fifties never tended to any other business besides the maintenance of the home and occasional shopping. It was also the first show to display the pregnancy stages of a woman. Desi Arnaz was one of the first Latin-Americans to have a co-starring role in a major television sitcom, which he also co-produced. .

             Even though I, as well as many others, have labeled this show as a groundbreaker for women and minorities, it can be argued it that I Love Lucy did not break away from gender and racial stereotypes. Ricky was characterized as a hot-tempered Latin whose thick accent was the butt of many jokes. His character also gave the notion that all Latinos can sing and dance. He was the typical, male soul provider for his family. Lucy’s mischievous ways always ended her up in trouble when she would not listen to her husband.